STOP VEOLIA UNION BUSTING! HANDS OFF THE BOSTON SCHOOL BUS UNION 5!

REINSTATE THE SUSPENDED UNION LEADERS!

Stand in Solidarity with USW Local 8751, the Boston School Bus Drivers’ Union, in its struggle to stop the union-busting corporation Veolia Transportation in its illegal attack on the union’s members, leadership and contract. Five union leaders are currently under indefinite suspension and face termination in retaliation for a legal workplace protest. We must take a stand—an injury to one is an injury to all!

Veolia, based in France, is a huge worldwide corporation involved in public, school and private transportation as well as providing “environmental services” to all kinds of corporate polluters, including frackers.

Since day one of taking over the Boston school bus management contract on July 1, 2013, Veolia has committed numerous Unfair Labor Practices, violated nearly every term and condition of the drivers’ employment contract, and engaged in actions designed to steal literally millions of dollars from drivers’ paychecks. In the process, Veolia has sacrificed student safety on the altar of profit, among other things creating routes designed by GPS-based software that result in massive lateness to school and to home, and refusing to pay drivers for all their time worked.

On October 8th, when drivers engaged in a legally protected protest of Veolia’s unfair labor practices, Veolia wrongly called the police and forcibly removed the drivers, illegally locking the gates and refusing to let the drivers back in to work. Boston Mayor Menino and Veolia then targeted five officers of Local 8751 for termination..

On Monday, Oct. 28th, Veolia held a disciplinary hearing. After a militant rally drew several hundred supporters, Grievance Chair Steve Kirschbaum, Recording Secretary Andre Francois, Vice President Steve Gillis, Steward Garry Murchison and Steward Rick Lynch were not terminated. But justice will not be served until they are back on the job and the threat of termination is removed.

Boston School Bus Drivers Union Local 8751 exemplifies what a labor union should be. Not only has its members been successful in winning living wages, benefits and unprecedented contract language, this local is willing to extend real solidarity to other workers whenever possible. This union has fought racism, sexism, anti-LGBTQ bigotry and every war since the 1970’s.

Please join the Detroit-area demonstration or organize a solidarity protest at a Veolia location near you. Also: